Mail-marking machine.



P. C. IELFIELD.

MAIL MARKING MAGHINE.

APPLmATIoN MLBD mmm 1908.

Patented Feb. 9, 1969.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. G. IELFIELD. MAIL 'MARKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 3 1908.

l, d i v EN il f.

"MHXIUIIIIIIIIIII UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED C. IELFIELD, OF SILVER CREEK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOH TO COLUMBIA POSTAL SUPPL COMPANY, OF SILVER CREEK, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MAILJIIARKING MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 3,'1908.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

Serial No. 441.721.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I', FRED C. IELFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Silver Creek, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in' Mail-Marking Machines, of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates to that class of mail marking machines in which cach letter to l`e canceled is stopped preparatory to being canceled until the canceling mechanism is in position relatively to the letter for roperly applying the post mark thereon. n prior canceling ymachines of this character the printing wheel and impression roller are caused to move one toward the other for the purpose of printing or canceling the lcttcr passing between the same by means of an eccentric which supports one of said nicmhers and a letter operated trigger adapted to project.' across the letter path and controlling said eccentric. rFhis construction is ohjec-` tionable for the reason that the front and rear edges of the -letters are adapted to he marred or injured by the tri nger, particularly when the letters or cards are of comparatively thin material, and for the further reason that theparts of the printing mechanism are held in their operative position relatively to each other until the rear end of the letter clears the trigger which would Acause mis-printing of the letters and sinut ting of the impression roller and also reduce the capacity of the machine.

It is the object of this invention to provide an improved mail cancelingr n'mchine ol' the above mentioned type`in which the operation of the eccentric for shifting the parte oi the printing mechanism into its operative position is not dependent upon a trigger which is adapted to project across the letter )ath and arrest the forward movement ol the letters, therehy increasing the spccd of the machine, simplifying its construction and reducingthe hal ility oi' improperly marking or canceling the letters.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 2 sheets: Figure 1 is a fragmentary horizontal section of a mail marking machine einhodying my invention and taken in line 1 1, Fig. 4. Figs. 2 and 3 are fragmentary horizontal sections similar to Fig. l and showing different positions of the mechanism. Fig. 4 is a verticaltransverse sec'tion in line 1w-4,

Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section in line 5&5j Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view showing a modified construction olf my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicato corresponding parte throughout the several views.

A represents thc horizontal tahlc of the machine upon the front part or feed end a` of which is placed the pile of letters or pieces o'r` mail matter to he canceled or post marked and upon the rear or delivery end c of which these letters or-pieces are againA stacked or piled after heing canceled.

B represents thc longitudinal upright wall arranged upon the tahlc and forming the front sides of the receiving and delivery end oi the table. Opposite the iced or receiving end oi' the tahlc arranged thc mouth of a pneumatic suction head (`y which is connected hy a conduit ol any suitable construction with a fan or olhcrfcxhausting device wherehy the foremost iletters of the pile on the feed end of the table are caused to he successively drawn against thc adjacent side of the wall B. Each letter alter hcing thus drawn against the front wall is moved forwardly lengthwise thereof hy means of a rotatable iced cani, linger or head al arranged in thc suction head and secured to the upper' cud oi a leed shaft I). During each rotation oi' the feed cam the saine engages with a lettcr drawn against the wall and moves the same forwardly away 'from the remaininglettors on the feed cud of the table. During its forward movement cach piece ol' mail matter dcllerts an elastic gato or separator E which is secured 'lo an adjacent transverse Wall or su ppm-t f and operates to prevcntniore than one letter at a time from heiug carried away hy the feed cani.

G', ll relu-osent the ,-opcratiug printing wheel or roller and thc impression roller or platen which are :urangcd on opposite .sides el thc path of thc letters or cards on thcirivay from thc feed end to the delivery cud of the table and whereby said letters or cards are canceled or post marked. As shown in the drawings, the printing wh'ecl or roller G is arraugcd on the left side of the letter path and is mounted on the upper end of a printing shaft g to which power may bc applied .by any suitable means, so that the printing wheel turned in the direction in which that side facing the letter path moves in the same direetionjas the letters. On the upper part of its periphery the printing wheel is provided with any suitab c canceling die or type i ada )ted to produce a post mark, date or canceling lines on the letters. 'llreso printing fares of the printing wheel may be inked l by any suitable means for' instance, as shown in the drawingsI by an ink roller y' arranged to engage the printing faces of the rrinting wheel. The impression roller' onlly approaches the printing wheel when a letter' i.` properly presented to the same but at all other tunes this impression roller is moved away from the printing wheel, so that said roller will not become smutted with ink from the die on the printing wheel which otherwise would result in smutting the backs of letters passirg sulsequently between the printing wheel and impression roller'.

1c, r represent the. upper and lower scctions of a divided or jointed shaft the upper section l'c of which is journaled in a laterally movable bearing L arranged below the table and prou'ec'ts through a transvers. slot l in the table above the same while the ower section is "ournaled at its lower end in `a step bearing l or' in any other suitable manner. Between the underside of the im Ji'ession roller and the upper side of the ta le, the upper section of the jointed shaft is provided with a feed disk or fiarge M which is adapted to ergage its periphery with a segmental feed eisk, rim or fiange m arranged on the printing shaft gbctween the underside of the printi. g wheel and the upper side of the table.

A drivingconnection is established between the printivg wheel shaft g and impression roller shaft, preferably lly a' gear wheel n sccured to the lower' part of the printing wheel shaft and meshing with a pinion n on the lower section of the impression roller shaft7 as shown in Fig. 4.

The bearing for the upper section of the impression roller shaft is preferably mounted on the free end of a horizontally swinging rock arm O pivoted on the underside of tl.e

table. The movement of this arm in the direction for' carrying the impression roller toward the printing wheel is limited by a stop ol agairst which it is. yieldingly held by a spring o2, this stop being preferably ad7ustable to permit of varying the position ol' the upper section of the impression roller' shaft relatively to the printing roller shaft.

The impression roller has a hub h of metal which rests loosely on top of the driving disk M and is constructed of rubber or srmilar elastic material to' -provide ayielding surface to receive the pressure of the printing wheel, As shown in Fig. 4, the im ression roller is compelled to turn with the isk M but is free to move laterally relatively thereto by means of a pin p projectin downwardly from the underside of its hub rnto an opening E* yinthe disk M. This 'pin and opening may owever be omitted in which ease the impression roller is driven by frietional contact with the disk M and the letters passing between the same and the printing wheel.

Q represents an eccentric which is pi\ oted on the n )per section lr' of the impression roller' shailt and upon the periphery of which the hub of the impression r'oller is journaled. At its' upper' end the eccentric is )r'ovided with a laterally projecting gripper having a segment s] raped body lt and an elastic facing 'r on its peri her'y which preferably consists of a band oi rubber or similar' material ar ranged in an annular groove r in the periphery of the body It. rlhe outer' segmental face of the gripper is concentric with the axis of the impression roller shaft and the disk M is preferably of the radius or slightly greater radius than the periphery of the feeding disk M. In the 'retracted or rearward positron of the gripper the front end of its segmental face is on a line drawn from t'ho axis of the printing wl eel to the axis of the impression roller in which position the same is yield ingly held by means of a spring S connected at one end with the gripper and at its opposite end with a bracket Il mounted on the upper side of the table. The backward movement of the gripper under the action of tlris sprirg S is limited by means of a rear stop or lug e arranged on the upper side of the gripper' and adapted to ergage with a sta tionary stop t depending 'fr'olnrthe upper part of the bracket. The forward movement of the gripper is limited by means of a front stop or lug s* arranged on the upper side of the gripper and adapted to engage with the front side of the stationary stop t. As the impression roller moves toward and from the printing wheel, the bracket T moves with the same, this being preferably effected by "ourrraling the upper end of the shaft section in a bearing a on the u per part of the bracket and mounting theatter slidably on the upper side of the table so that it can rnovc toward and from the' letter path, this sliding connection consisting preferably of a guide screw or pin Iv secured to the table and arranged in a longitudinal slot o1 in the base of the bracket, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

w represents a presser finger secured to the upper side of the printing wheel and having its front end arranged slightly in advance of the front end of the die of the printing wheel and having a sermental outer face which is concentric wit the axis of the printing wheel but has a slightly longer radius than the face of the die so that said f presser' finger proleets beyond said die. During each rotation of the printing wheel the presser finger' swee '1s forwardly across the letter path above t e gripper so as to overhang the latter sli htly and intersect the lane vertically in ine with the segmental r aeeof the gripper, as shown inFigs. 2 and .4,i

iwhieh is nelel'abl.' mounted ou e horizon--` 59 l 'i Ytally swinefingf rorl; erm :'41 which is pivoted on the rear :side olI ihr lonsilndimil 'well B. The forward movement oi' this stop is prehirnbly ,i'aeii'eeted by ineens oll a com .r' eiignagingr with 1,0 the rear side of the stop rock arm and se- "iirenred to the upper end of the printing wheel shaft and the barkn'ard univement ofY this i i Stop isefl'eeted by menus of a springy ,iff inter- ,posed between the front side oll the roel( arm 1'5 ,x and the rem' side ol' the lon'jitudinal wall B, as shown in Figs, i` l end I` The stop X is moved across the letter path inst before the l presser finger 'w reaches said path in its l'ori ,ward movement and alter said finger crosses wgoithe letter path the stop retraets out of seid i fpathf' When 'no letter is carried forward Lwagainst the stop the presser linger sweeps `idly across the letter path and over thesnlient W part of the grlpper, and the latter remains m 2`5`Its rearmost position in which its front part i is arranged in line with the axes ol' the )rinting wheel and impression roller and t ie ee- `centric has its. sa'ient part at the rear of its y pivot and theimpression roller is withdrawn' .f 3Q rearwardly and laterally from tlie letter ,t ath, as shown in Fig, l. if n letter has een fed vl'orwawlly against the stop the t Ysame is'enqaged on its left side by the presser finger en instant before the letter stop X is y retracted and is pushed laterally by the y presser tinlrer toward the right and against i the face of the gripper, so that the upper part of the letter is bent or deflected sightly and caused to beer firmly against the segmental i 40 face-of the gripper. An instant later the lower edge of the letter is sxripped between i the feedingy rim `m oli the printing Wheel und the feeding-disk M of the impression roller,

i thereby causing the letter and gripper to be i5 moved forwardly. Duringr the first part ol' the forwiird movement ol' the gripper its eecentric moves with its salient part toward the letter path sind earries the impression roller bodi'y in the same direetiou so that the O letzter is engaged en opposite sides above its lower edge by tln-` im pression rolier and the dieiof the printing,r Wheel, as shown in ities 2 and 4, thereby produring an imprint of the die or type on the letter, After the letter has lbeen tlmsgripped between the die of the printing wheel and the impression roller the i frietional contact between the hub of the impression 'loller and the eccentric causes the latter to continue to torn in this direction un o til the gripper and eceentrie have ell'eeted al 4together about one quarter ot' a turn at.

which point the gripper and eeeentrieere errested in their forward movement bythe When the gripper rem-hes this foremost position it is wholly witl'idrewn from the letter path and out ol' omengement l'rom the letter, as shown in the last mentioned ligure, thereby pnfwnting the frire of the gripper from being no1-u umicressarilv whirli would be the case if the letters here dragged forward past the gripper and in contact therewith, while the same is held stationary in its foremost position. rl`he impression roller, eccentric end gripper are hold in this forward position by the friction or pressure of the letter moving forwardly between the impression roller and the diwol' the printingT wheel. When the rear end of the die ol' the printing wheel leaves the letter and the latter is no longer pies-mind agfainst the intpressiiiin roller by the die, the impression roller is liberated and is instantly swung' rearward and laterally outwerdV into its inoperative position together with the eeeentrie and gripper by means of the spring S. This return movement of the impression roller, eccentricr and gripper occurs under these circumstances notwithstanding that' the letter hns not completed its forward passage between the impression roller and printing wheel, thereby uti izl ing the time in which the rear port of the letter passes the impression roller fmd printing wheel for bringingr the gripper :1nd impres sion roller into their rearmost position in time to be engaged by the front edge of the next letter preparatory to canoeing the saine. it of course understood that after the n )per part ol' the letter is released by the die o' the printing wheel and the. impression roller the forward movement of the seme is vnontinned by engagement ol the feeding rim m el" the printing wheel end the feeding tiange M of the impression roller with op osite sides ol' the latter at the lower erge thereof. I

It will be apparent trom the foregoing description that it is impossible to move the impression roller into o erative reation to the printingT wheel nnti after :t letter has been Ide'ivered between the printing wheel and the impression roller, thereby absolutely preventing the dieof the printing yvrheei from eomineg into direct Contact with the periph crv of theimpression roller and depositingf inh thereon which would smut the backs ol' letters. Furthermore the front edges of the 'letters do not perform any function l'or rensing the mechanism to cancel the letter. thereby enablingr the thinnest possible eards. letters or other mail matter to be canceled in this machine without liability of tcarinflor Vinjuring the same.

" By retnrninel the impression roller to its ino erative osition immediately after the. die c eers the etter it is impossibe to coat the impression roller with ink as is liable to oe front stop s1 et the gripper engaging with the I eur in machines in which the impression stop t on the bracket Tj shown 1n Fig, l roller controllingdevice when engaging the (ill As Vthe letters issue from the impression roller and printing wheel they are stacked on the delivery end oi' the table by a rotary cam-shaped packer Y which is mounted "on the upper end of the stacker shaft 'y and operates in a well known manner.

If dcsircd-the` impression roller H1 may be mounted concentrically on the shaft g and the printing wheel Cr1 ma be mounted on the eccentric and moved odily toward and from the impression roller, this being a modification of my invention, as shown in Fig. 6.

claim as my invention: A

1. A mail marking machine comprising a printing member or Wheel, an im ression member or Wheel, an eccentric n w ich one of said members is pivoted, a gripper arranged on the eccentric and a resser finger mounted on the member Whicii is not pivoted on the eccentric and ada ted to press the mail matter against saidp gripper for turning said eccentric and :carrying t ie memer pivoted thereon tovvard the other mem- 2. A mail marking machine comprising a printing .member or Wheel, an im ressiori member or Wheel, an eccentric on w ich one of said members is pivoted, a gripper arranged on the eccentric, a presser finger mounted on the member which is not pivoted on the eccentric and adapted to press the mail matter against said gripper for turning said eccentric and carrying the member pivoted thereon toward the other' member, a spring o erating to movesaid eccentric and gripper ackwardly, and means for limiting the turning movement of said gripper and eccentric.

3. A mail marking machine comprising a printing member or Wheel, an im ression member or wheel, an eccentric on w ich one of said members is pivoted, a gripper arranged on the eccentric,` a presser finger mounted on the member which is not pivoted on the eccentric and adapted to press the mail matter against said gripper for turning said eccentric and carrying `the member pivoted thereon toward the otherinember, a springr operating to move said eccentric and said gripper backwardly, `means for limiting thc turning movement oi' said gripper and eccentric comprising a support having a stop, and front'and rear-stops arranged on the gripper and adapted to engage oppop site sides ol' the stop of said support.

-4 A mail marking machine comprising a prixy .ing member or wheel, an impression member or Wheel, an eccentric on which one of saidmeinbexs is pvoted, a gripper ,ar-

ranged on the eccentric and having its outer end provided with an elastic facin a presser t ger mounted on the memberw ich is not pivoted on the eccentric and adapted to press the mail matter against said gripper for turning said eccentric and carrying the member pivoted thereon toward the other member. 5. Amail marking machine comprising a printing member or wheel, an im ression member or wheel, an eccentric on w ich one of said'members is pivoted, a gripper arranged on the eccentric and having a se mental body provided in its periphery Wit a groove and a facing having the form of a ru ber band arranged in said froove, a

is not pivoted on the eccentric and adapted to press the mail matter against said gripper for turning said. eccentric and carrving the member pivoted thereon toward the other member.

6. A mail marking machine comprising a printing member' 0i' wheel, an im ression member or Wheel, an eccentric onw ich one of said members is pivoted, a gripper arranged on the eccentric, a presser finger lmounted on the member which is `not pivoted on t'he eccentric and ada ted to press turning said eccentric and carrying t e member pivoted thereon toward the other member, a letter stop movable into and out of the letter path,'and a cam for operating said stop turnin with one of said members.

7. A ma' marking machine comprising a printing member or Wheel, an im ression member or whee1,'an eccentric on w ich one of said members is pivoted, a gripper arranged. on the eccentric,` a presser finger mounted on the member which is not pivoted on the eccentric and adapted to press the mail matter against said gripper for turning said eccentric and carrying the member pivotedthereon toward the other member, a letter stop movable into and out of the letter path, a rock arm `carrying said stop a cam turning with one of said members and operating said arm to move its stop into the letter path, and a spring operating on said arm to move the stop out o the letter path.

8. A mail marking machine comprising a printing member or wheel, a shaft carrying said printing Wheel and journaled in a stationary bearing, an impression member or Wheel, an eccentric u on which said impression roller is journale a rshaft on which said Yeccentric is mounted and which is movable toward and from the printing Whe-el and its shaft, a laterally movable bracket having a beari ourna ed 'a ,ifi er errar, edfgnithe u er iend .of ltlie; noperatin'gpto draw"'said gri per backwar ly, `a presser Jlinger moiinte .on the printin wheel and ladaptsateprst. sistemate: rin the 1er presser finger mounted on the mem er Whichthe mail matter against sai( gri per for.`

in which the shaft of said eccentric is p f ter path against the salient part of said gripper for moving the same forward, a stop arranged on the bracket, a front stop arranged on the gripper and adapted to engage with the front side of the bracket stop for limiting the forward turning movement of the gripper, and a rear stop arranged on the gripper end adapted to engage with the rear side f the, bracket stop for limiting the backward movement of the gri per. 1C Witness my han this 29th day of June,

FRED C. IELFIELD. Witnesses:

GEO. H. SHOFNER, THEO. STEWART. 

